


Only For The Night

by grimeysociety



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Darcy Lewis Needs a Hug, Darcy Lewis Valentine's Day Challenge, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Male-Female Friendship, Panic Attack Comfort, Steve Rogers is Not a Virgin, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-26 20:05:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17752601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimeysociety/pseuds/grimeysociety
Summary: Steve and Darcy agree to be each other's platonic Valentines, only to have one of the worst first dates either of them has ever been on when they're stuck in an escape room in Brooklyn.





	1. i. Chalk

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to my [Valentine's Day Mini Challenge](https://grimeysociety.tumblr.com/post/181961508108/a-darcy-lewis-valentines-day-mini-challenge) submission. I chose to use the prompts "Candy Heart", "Worst First Date Ever" and "Fake Marriage".  
> catemonsterq and I want to make "Panic Attack Comfort" a trope. For real. It's when someone in a pairing has a panic attack and the other person comforts them. It's adorable and everything I ever needed.  
> 

**i. Chalk**

 

 

Darcy sat at her desk eating candy hearts. She filled the glass dish twice and it sat next to her pen holder.

Her mouth was getting to a weird stage of tanginess and she no longer was differentiating the flavors. She stopped reading them as well. She wasn’t ashamed of eating that much candy until Steve walked up to her desk with his eyes widening.

“What?” she snapped, and he just looked from her full mouth to the dish and back again.

“Nothin’,” he replied.

“You want one?” she mumbled, swallowing.

He wondered why he was there. Usually he was on his way somewhere else. She usually saw Steve in the kitchen at weird hours like she was, grabbing protein shakes by the pound. Even when he looked like shit he looked good, his hair rumpled from sleep or otherwise. When Darcy looked like shit she looked like the girl from The Ring.

Steve took several, reading the words on each one.

“ _Be mine_. _Cutie_. _All mine_ ,” he muttered, shoving them into his mouth and chewing. “They’re like chalk.”

“They provide me with my daily chalk requirements,” Darcy retorted, finally taking the bowl away and tucking it behind her monitor to stop her mindless bingeing. “What brings you to the lowly quarters of Foster and Lewis?”

Steve chuckled, then looked around. “Where is Jane, anyway?”

“You want Jane?” Darcy asked. “’Cause she’s napping until at least 2.”

“No, I want you,” Steve said, and Darcy made a face. “Not like that. I just wondered if you were busy tonight.”

Darcy ran her tongue along the front of her teeth, sucking loudly. She narrowed her eyes.

“I get the feeling we had a conversation recently I don’t remember.”

Steve’s eyebrows hiked. “Oh, so you were drunk last weekend even though you said you weren’t. Shocker.”

“Hey,” Darcy snapped, pointing a finger. “Less _judgey_ more _explainy_. You know what day it is, right? Did the chalk candy give you any idea?”

“It’s Valentine’s Day,” he replied with a shrug. “You said last week that if you were free we’d go on a friend date.”

Darcy scanned her brain, hating her past six/seven drinks-deep self.

“Okay.” She pretended to look at something on her monitor, clicking her mouse randomly. “Yes, I’m free. I will allow it.”

She steepled her fingers and kept her face neutral. Steve just smiled at her, shaking his head. She knew he saw straight through her little charade but he was kind enough to let her get away with it.

-

Steve got the idea to go to the escape room in Brooklyn because of Sam’s recommendation. They were in the middle of a mission and Sam was using his intercom to talk too much about Valentine’s Day. Steve just let him yammer on while occasionally Natasha added her own commentary. He’d rather just let them get it off their chests then instead of later when he’d be trying to wind down with a beer.

“Why don’t you just ask her out? She obviously likes you,” Sam said, and Steve heard him grunt and land a punch.

Steve threw his shield and bounced it off a guy’s face, catching it again.

“She doesn’t like me like that,” he retorted. “I just meant like a friend date.”

“No such thing,” Natasha and Sam said together.

“At least not with Darcy,” Sam added.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Natasha snapped. Steve heard someone’s neck broken out of his line of sight.

Steve saw Sam land on another guy and Steve threw his shield again.

“I just mean –” there was a distinct crunch of a broken bone “-she doesn’t play around.”

“How would you know that?” Steve asked Sam to his face as he caught his shield, bullets bouncing.

“Sounding pretty protective for a girl that’s your friend, Steve,” Sam said, ducking and landing another punch. “I didn’t sleep with her but she dated Robbie.”

“Oh, yeah,” Natasha said, as if remembering. “Robbie in Forensics. He’s cute.”

“He’s _okay_ ,” Steve muttered. “And she was pretty sure she’d be alone when we spoke last.”

“What is seven drinks Darcy like, anyway?” Sam asked.

“She tried to do a handstand and then had a nap,” Steve replied, and he sucker punched someone.

In the quinjet on the way back to Avengers Tower, Sam nudged Steve.

“There’s a place in Brooklyn and it’s all over Instagram. Escape room. It’s quirky enough for Darcy and it gives you an excuse to be in a small space together.”

“Sam, I’m a ninety-eight year-old man,” Steve said, “I can get a girl to hang out with me without us being in a locked room.”

“That’s debateable,” Natasha quipped, tossing her hair over one shoulder.

Steve turned his head to look her in the eye and rose his eyebrows. “Really? I don’t ever hear you complaining.”

“I’m good at pretending. I think you forget I’m a spy,” Natasha drawled. “But Sam’s right. An escape room is perfect. Darcy’s geeky enough to appreciate it.”

“She likes _Star Wars_ , not _Star Trek_ ,” Sam added. He narrowed his eyes. “Or maybe it’s the other way around.”

“It’s a friend date and I’ll make sure she has fun is all,” Steve said.

-

Robbie sent Darcy a dick pic after work and she sent back a picture of her disgusted face from below so that her neck and chin morphed into one unflattering shape.

She shaved her legs and put on makeup, but tried to tone down her enthusiasm. She put on a white dress she bought for a cowboys n’ cowgirls dress up party she went to a few years ago but wore Doc Martens instead of heels and she didn’t take a ridiculous amount of time doing her hair.

She didn’t want to look like she didn’t care about how she looked but she didn’t want to seem like she was trying too hard. She figured this was Steve’s way of making sure she was okay after that weird encounter last week she couldn’t fully remember.

She just hoped she didn’t come onto him. Drunk flirting was never cute.

Another dick pic. Darcy rolled her eyes.

 _Oops, sorry! Didn’t mean to send that!_ was the accompanying text. Darcy thought her eyes might get stuck from rolling them too hard.

 _Really Robbie? What about the last one?_ she replied, but there was no response. How convenient.

She felt like a streaker with her coat ready to pop open when she wrapped herself up in it. Too short and not nearly warm enough for February but she still wanted to look cute.

Darcy sighed, knowing she did care about looking good for Steve.

-

Darcy met with him in the foyer, her hands in her coat pockets and smiling at him.

“You ready?” she asked, and Steve couldn’t help smiling back.

“Yeah, let’s go,” he replied.

He wore his leather jacket and a white t-shirt, but he knew Darcy wearing her little short coat and no pants would likely freeze her to death if they stayed out too long. They stepped out together, a space between them.

Steve might have tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow but he couldn’t gauge whether physical contact was an issue with Darcy. With Natasha it was a no-brainer. She frequently punched men for even looking at her for too long.

They walked to catch the subway and Darcy eventually touched his arm, letting out a long whistle.

“Nice jacket,” she said.

“Thanks,” he replied. “Nice… boots.”

“Thanks,” she said with a smile. They ducked into their train and Darcy opened her coat to reveal a flowy white dress that reminded Steve of the Civil War. “I was trying to not look too country.”

Steve was confused by that but didn’t say anything, and just nodded. He couldn’t understand women’s fashion growing up and now it was just as perplexing. But never dull. He liked what some of them did with fabric, especially if they fit well. He noted that women tended to be thinner all over, at least in the magazines he came across. And then there were girls online who emphasised their rear ends a lot, throwing whatever Steve thought he understood out the window.

The 21st century seemed like a very jumbled and confusing place, but he knew Darcy was a beautiful young woman by any standard, except her body was significantly curvier than the norm. He tried not to stare at her when he noticed her shape but it was hard to miss, especially when she wore something with a cinched waist like she was now as they travelled to Brooklyn.

She was kind of short, too. Slightly taller than Jane but not any taller than Natasha, who was _definitely_ short and hated people pointing it out. Steve kept looking at Darcy as they sat together, hoping she didn’t think he was checking her out. The longer he took her in, the more he could see that she was absolutely a tiny woman. It made Steve want to put his arm around her, but this wasn’t a date.

Darcy shoved her phone in her handbag and looked up at Steve.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise,” he said, and she pursed her lips.

“Okay,” she replied slowly. “We just better not be going to Chuck E Cheese or something like that.”

“I don’t know what that is,” Steve said, laughing. She was so serious.

“It’s a franchise with a creepy robotic mouse that encourages childhood obesity and gambling,” Darcy said.

“Sounds wild,” Steve said, laughing again. Darcy mirrored his smile.

“Oh, it is,” she said. “But it’s hardly worthy of a Valentine’s Day.”

Steve averted his eyes, looking out at the dark beyond their train car. He was dreading this day last week and it was finally there and he felt so much better about it.

“No, it’s something special.”

Darcy put a hand on her chest, pretending to swoon.

“Just for me?”

“Yes, just for you.”

 

 

 


	2. ii. Sweet Escapes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the responses and kudos for the first part! <3

**ii. Sweet Escapes**

 

 

Darcy kept smiling so much her face was starting to hurt. She needed to tone it down. She pressed her lips together as they got off at their stop.

They walked for another ten minutes until they found the place in Brooklyn, and from the outside it looked like an English tavern Darcy sometimes saw in travel shows.

“Oh, cute!” she said, until she read the sign above the entrance. “ _Sweet Escapes_?”

“Yeah, uh, Sam made the reservation for me,” Steve replied, and he stepped forward to open the door for her and Darcy gave him a small nod of thanks.

Inside it was more like a reception at a day spa, creepy so-called calming music playing on the loudspeakers above their heads while a young guy with slicked back hair and a bored face sat at the front desk.

“Hello, welcome to _Sweet Escapes_ , I will be your host Kevin,” he said with no inflection, looking at Darcy’s chest and then her face. “Do you have a reservation.”

Steve’s face said it all. Confusion and mild disgust.

“I’m Steve Rogers,” he said.

“Mr. and Mrs. Rogers for 7 o’clock, awesome,” Kevin said, his voice like gravel.

Darcy and Steve exchanged a look and Steve opened his mouth, but Darcy smiled, stepping forward.

“Yes, I am the missus.”

Steve looked confused until Darcy mouthed _Go with it,_ pointing to the sign that read _Couple’s Special_. If it was a real date she would have ignored the discount entirely, living in her own fantasy world where they guy she was with showered her with expensive things. She knew Steve liked good value. He was always telling her what a penny used to buy.

Kevin rose from his seat and came around the front, ushering them down the hall to a small room. Darcy had never been in an escape room before and she had her reasons. She didn’t do well in confined spaces for longer than a short amount of time.

Elevators were hit and miss. If she was having a bad day she took the stairs. If she was having a good day she wouldn’t mind being squished into the metal can.

The escape room they walked into looked a bit jumbled, like all the furniture came from different eras. There were doodads and kitschy little things on shelves that had Darcy’s eyebrows hiking.

“First, housekeeping,” Kevin said. “You have two hours to complete the task. If you finish it before the time is up you get a prize and you can leave. The timer automatically triggers the door to open again.”

Kevin rose his hand in a half-assed gesture toward the door, which Darcy could see locked more like the kind for a safe than the small room they stood in.

“Did this place used to be a bank?” Darcy asked, interrupting Kevin’s slow flow.

“Yes,” he said. He gave a small wave with the same enthusiasm as before. “There are clues to finding the key.”

“Is it a literal key?” Darcy asked, and Kevin just gave her a long blank stare before looking at Steve, handing him a laminated card.

“Your first clue. Good luck.”

Darcy narrowed her eyes after Kevin’s retreating back. The door glided shut and clicked loudly, making Darcy’s stomach drop.

“Cool,” she murmured. “Now we just have to get out of here.”

-

Steve turned the laminated card over in his hand.

“That guy hates his job,” Darcy said, hands on her hips as she looked around.

The room looked like things were salvaged from a Good Will. Everything was very ugly and clashed. A lot of it made Steve’s eyes hurt.

“I’d hate to work here, too,” he said, hitting his palm with the card. “We married now?”

“Sure,” Darcy said, smiling. She twirled in her dress a little, making Steve smile back at her. “If you told me we’d be doing an escape room I probably would have said no to tonight.”

“Why?” Steve asked, and he felt his heart sink a little.

“No reason,” Darcy said, hands up. “I’m just not a huge fan of the concept.”

He looked down at the card and finally read it:

“ _Which month has 28 days?”_

Darcy had begun twirling again, answering, “All of them.”

She stopped, pointing behind Steve at the calendar and he headed toward it, feeling for another card. She narrowed her eyes, nodding.

“Teamwork,” he said, pulling out another laminated card from February’s section.

Music suddenly came through a speaker and they were momentarily distracted.

“I get the feeling Kevin meant to have the music playing the whole time,” Darcy said. “It’s all… lovey shit.”

Steve didn’t know the song but recognized the genre at least. A woman singing about her teenage dream and his eyebrows rose at one of the more risqué lyrics. Darcy only laughed at him.

“Hey, Steve. Get a clue.”

“Right,” he muttered, turning over the card. “ _What has a face and a tail but no arms and legs_?”

Darcy seemed to blurt the first thing that came into her head: “A hot dog!”

Steve burst out laughing, surprised by his own lack of restraint. Darcy blushed, shrugging.

“How does a hot dog have a face?” he asked, and she shrugged again.

“Aren’t hot dogs made up of snouts or… faces?” she said, and Steve considered the clue.

“No, I know what it is. It’s a penny,” he said.

He joined Darcy as they rummaged through the shelves to find any money.

Darcy punched the air in triumph as she finally found the coin in the mouth of a stuffed lion. Under the lion’s stomach was another card.

Darcy turned it over and read, _“What has a neck but no head?”_

Steve grabbed an empty beer bottle close to Darcy’s hip. “Bottle.”

“Jeez, you’re good at this,” she said, and Steve smiled, feeling a small burst of pride. If he managed to get this over with quickly he’d give her the prize and then they’d make their next reservation easily.

Inside the bottle was another piece of paper rolled up. Steve tipped the bottle and shook it, the paper falling to the floor. Darcy bent to pick it up and Steve saw down her dress and looked away, licking his lips. She unrolled the paper, and luckily she didn’t seem to notice Steve’s reaction to her cleavage.

He’d seen plenty of it before because she wore low cut sweaters occasionally, but he saw most of her bra in that moment. There was little left for the imagination and he scratched the back of his head, waiting for her to read the paper.

She turned the paper over several times. “What the hell? It’s blank.”

“No, that’s…” Steve took it from her, and she crossed her arms.

“Gee. When I say something usually people take my word for it.”

Steve realized his mistake; he’d not just listened to her, instead he wanted to make sure she knew what she was talking about. Natasha had pointed out he’d done that in the past. Now he’d done it with Darcy who was glaring at him like he’d questioned whether her IQ was over 100.

“Sorry, I –” he stared at the blank piece of paper, and then turned it over. “You’re right. It just doesn’t make sense. How do we know which clue to look for then if this is blank?”

Darcy looked at the array of objects that littered the room.

“Start turning everything upside down.”

“We just trash the place?” Steve said, and Darcy stared him down.

“I don’t see why not. We might improve the décor, actually. If we answer other riddles there might be –”

The song changed over to some other track that caused Darcy to groan. “Goddamn it. This is song will be stuck in my head for days.”

“What is it?” Steve asked, lips quirking.

“More Katy Perry,” Darcy said with a sigh. “Right, I’m flippin’ shit.”

They got to work, turning over knickknacks with messages under them, trying to find an order to them.

“ _I have two arms and a face_ – duh, clock,” Darcy said, snatching a plastic black cat clock from the wall.

“That might have something to do with this one – _I have nine but I am one_. A cat,” Steve said, lifting a rubber duck.

They worked together but it kept going in circles. Steve pinched the bridge of his nose at some point to try to anchor himself but he was growing more frustrated with each pass of a new song. He had some idea that they’d been at it for about an hour or more and Darcy was not happy.

“The clue in the bottle is obviously missing and Kevin or whoever else that works here didn’t make sure it was there before we came,” he muttered. “I’m tempted to complain.”

“Oh, _tempted_?” Darcy repeated with a squawk in her tone. “I would have thought the serum gave you better brain power, not just throwing power.”

“Hey! What the hell?” Steve said, feeling himself bristle. “This isn’t my fault.”

“Who doesn’t check out the reviews to a sketchy place they’ve never been to? Sam just gets you a reservation and you don’t double check if we might get ripped off?” Darcy snapped, incredulous. “I get that you’re old but you have the technology now. So why not use information in the information age, I mean –?”

Darcy clutched at her chest, wincing. “Oh, shit.”

She forgot her tirade and Steve watched her face go from fierce to afraid in a second.

“Darcy.”

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “I also lie when I’m panicking, though.”

“You’re having a panic attack?” Steve said, and she nodded.

“I don’t do enclosed spaces.”

“Why’d you get in an escape room with me?” he asked, and Darcy let out several shaky breaths, shrugging elaborately.

“I wanted to enjoy myself. I wanted to have fun with you. Fuck!”

She sank to the floor and Steve followed her, taking her hands in his. Her eyes were wide and she was struggling to get enough air like a fish struggling on dry land.

“Hey, hey, I’m here,” he whispered. “I got you.”

“I can’t breathe.”

Steve let go of her hands and marched over to the door, hammering his fist against it. There was no reply from anyone on the other side. The music kept playing above their heads like nothing was wrong.

“Kevin! Open up. We got a situation. Kevin!” Steve yelled, and he heard Darcy gasping behind him. “I’ll rip the door off its hinges.”

“He’s serious, Kevin!” Darcy yelled, her eyes wide with fright.

There was some loud clicks and the door slid open, revealing Kevin staring blankly ahead. His eyes fell to Darcy on the floor.

“So you guys are forfeiting?”

“My wife’s having a panic attack!” Steve snapped.

To his surprise, Darcy began to giggle. His eyes flitted over to her to see she was lying down and laughing weakly.

“I want a refund,” he added. Kevin shook his head.

“We don’t do that.”

“Then I want alcohol or something. The clue was missing from the bottle.”

Kevin finally became more animated, his eyebrows lifting slightly.

“Dude, I started my shift late. Raj was here before me. It’s his fault.”

“Who the fuck is Raj?” Darcy snapped, sitting up. She seemed to have recovered a little, still panting. “And who the fuck are you? Where are your parents? Where’s the manager?”

Steve pressed his lips together to stop himself from smiling. She looked cute when she was angry.

“My wife’s distressed, so…” he said to Kevin. “You could at least get her something to drink.”

Kevin rolled his eyes and he turned his heel. Steve lagged behind, tugging Darcy to her feet.

“You okay?”

“I’m hungry.” She said it in a small voice.

They joined Kevin back in the reception and he handed Darcy a bottle of something she squinted at in disgust.

“Kombucha? Are you serious?” Darcy said to Kevin, though she took the bottle anyway.

“We don’t serve refined sugar here,” Kevin said. Steve and Darcy exchanged a glance.

Steve refused to pay, and Kevin didn’t fight with him about it. He was just glad to see them go, finally smiling as he said goodbye.

Darcy just scowled, shivering as they were back in the cold. She opened her bottle and sipped at it. She screwed her face up and spat on the ground. She lost it, letting out a growl as she threw the bottle into the street.

Steve just watched, seeing other people staring at them.

One couple walking arm in arm looked concerned but Steve forced a smile.

“My wife,” he said, gesturing at Darcy with a thumb. “She’s having a bad night.”

The couple walked away, glancing at Darcy with concern over their shoulders. Darcy promptly screamed into the night like she was possessed and Steve waited, rubbing an ear pointedly.

She came back toward him, huffing. She was more composed. She patted her hair back into something neater.

She cleared her throat, looking up at Steve.

Her voice was only slightly strained. “So, you made a reservation somewhere?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The two Katy Perry songs they heard were "Teenage Dream" and "Hot n' Cold". 
> 
> I've had some kombucha drinks that were nice. I've had one that tasted like vinegar. Just let me make fun of hipster culture, please. I realize it's low hanging fruit but it's so fun.
> 
> The "throwing power" line is not mine. It's AceParent's that was suggested on Discord.


	3. iii. How Fucking Stupid Are We?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and giving this fic kudos! I hope you have a safe and happy Valentine's Day.  
> [my Tumblr](http://grimeysociety.tumblr.com/)

**iii. How Fucking Stupid Are We?**

 

 

It was safe to assume that Darcy was a little on edge. After the panic attack she was already a little off, and then the kombucha seemed like the final straw.

She didn’t know what she’d rather do – bang her head against the pavement or cry out of frustration. The annoyance that had been bubbling for days about Valentine’s Day had come to the surface. Why was she perpetually single? Why did the men she did actually date turn out to be selfish duds nearly every time?

Her last serious relationship was with Ian but that one didn’t work out. They were better off as friends, and he’d managed to get engaged in no time at all when Darcy was still perusing Tinder, Bumble and whatever else she could find for just a little bit of tenderness.

It was a little pathetic, having a guy friend take her out that night because he felt sorry for her. It wasn’t some huge revelation that she had a crush on Steve. It was hard not to, especially when he was nice to look at and someone she liked talking to.

The way he said “my wife” made her stomach flip, and she was brought back to earth. Instead of continuing to scream she packed herself up and joined Steve again to walk into the night.

She shivered and she hated her dumb decision to try to channel Kasey Musgraves instead of wearing a proper winter coat. Steve glanced at her and awkwardly moved closer, putting one of his arms around her and rubbing her arm.

“This okay?” he murmured, and Darcy nodded.

“Where are we going?” she asked, her stomach making a distinct growl. If Steve was anyone else she’d feel self-conscious, but he just smiled.

“Italian place a block away.”

He remembered she liked Italian. That was sweet. She was always ordering too much pasta and giving Steve’s appetite a run for its money. He liked stealing her leftover garlic knots. What he didn’t know was that she left them for him every time hoping he’d take them. Yeah, she definitely had a crush on Steve.

“I hate Valentine’s Day,” Darcy declared, and Steve just smiled.

“Really? I couldn’t tell.”

“‘My wife.’ That was cute,” Darcy said, and Steve chuckled. “Really adds to the narrative.”

“The mortgage repayments are a strain on us both,” Steve said. “You occasionally scream at the moon and I just do a lot of golfing.”

Darcy smiled.

They kept walking down the street, and occasionally Darcy let herself go along with the story that they were husband and wife on their big date out on the town. Steve was so warm and solid beside her that Darcy was able to indulge in that weird fantasy. They’d share an apartment and adopt a dog. He’d go on missions while Darcy stayed behind and worked with Jane. He’d always come home and they’d stay tangled up together –

Darcy shoved the thought of them in bed way, way down and moved away from Steve, letting his arm fall to his side. She wrapped her too thin coat around her body and shivered.

Steve didn’t say anything, just cleared his throat.

“It’s coming up here.”

“I don’t see anyone in the windows,” Darcy said slowly, squinting.

The place didn’t have its lights on. Darcy held her breath, closing her eyes.

-

Steve’s heart sank when Darcy slipped out from under his arm. It was a distinct feeling he couldn’t ignore. He was disappointed and instantly missing her that close to him. He didn’t have time to think about it too long when they walked up to the restaurant to see it was closed.

Darcy read the sign on the door.

“ _Apologies in advance for our Valentine’s Day reserved tables_ ,” she said. “It says there’s a maintenance issue.”

Steve closed his eyes, rubbing his face with a hand. “I confirmed the table yesterday.”

They both sighed, and Darcy seemed genuinely defeated.

“It’s okay.”

Steve opened his eyes and looked at her, her face looking tired and resigned.

“No, it’s not, Darcy. I meant tonight to be good for both of us,” he said, and Darcy glanced up at him.

“You’re right. It’s not okay. But I shouldn’t have been this surprised. I feel like this is the universe’s final sign for me to give up on dating in general.”

She turned her heel and went toward the curb, hand out to hail a cab. Steve followed her, his own hand up.

“Do you want to go home?”

“What else is there to do?” she grumbled, and a cab pulled up in front of them.

Steve opened the door for her and Darcy ducked her head and climbed inside. The driver was wearing a Bluetooth earpiece and having a lengthy conversation. Steve gave him the address and they peeled off into the night.

Darcy leaned her head back in her seat and sighed.

“Can we just agree that if we’re still both single –”

Steve turned his head toward her and felt his stomach flip.

“- in like, ten years –”

“What?” he asked, hoping his voice didn’t give away any kind of emotion.

“-we make a pact to murder each other?”

Darcy stared right at him and Steve’s eyebrows rose. He looked away, considering her words.

“That is extremely morbid, Darcy,” he finally said.

She rolled her eyes.

“It’s just a murder-suicide pact, Steven,” she said. “It’s like insurance.”

Steve began to laugh, passing a hand over his face.

“Jesus, I didn’t think you’d be considering suicide by the end of tonight,” he muttered.

Darcy met his gaze and she began to laugh softly.

“I’m giving up,” she said. “I’m not putting myself out there. If some dude lands in my lap, awesome, but I’m giving up on trying.”

“Noted,” Steve replied.

They fell into silence while Steve considered Darcy’s decision. It seemed crazy to him that men weren’t lining up out the door for her to just have a chance to spend time with her. Darcy made her laugh, made him feel comfortable in his own skin. She was beautiful, never mind all the times he thought she was cute. She was witty and she had a heart.

“I can’t, I’m sorry,” he said, and Darcy glanced at him with a confused look on her face.

“What?”

“I don’t know what those other guys were thinking, the ones that made you want to stop dating entirely,” he went on, not looking Darcy in the eye. He was afraid he might lose his nerve. “But they’re idiots. They should be holding on to you and never letting go.”

“You’re sweet,” she said, and Steve looked at her in the eye.

“I’m just stating the obvious,” he said, eyes ducking briefly before he glanced back at her big blue eyes he pretended he didn’t think about when she wasn’t around. “You’re a diamond.”

Darcy stared at him, blinking rapidly.

They said nothing else, and once they arrived home Steve paid the driver and held the door open for Darcy. She kept quiet as they walked into the foyer.

They waited for the elevator and Steve looked at Darcy’s shoulders that were shaking from the cold. He did what he should have done hours ago and took off his jacket, draping it over her shoulders.

“Thank you,” she murmured, and Steve nodded.

“No problem, Darce.”

They stepped into the elevator and Steve pressed the button for the common area level.

Darcy’s question seemed to come out of nowhere:

“Why don’t you have a girlfriend?”

Steve let out a short breath of a laugh. “I don’t know. I guess I don’t want to bring a girl into this. She’d never see me, she’d have to be waiting around for me and she’d have to deal with me and my… bullshit.”

He was paraphrasing but Darcy seemed irritated by his answer.

“That’s insane. You could have any girl. You could rock up to a Victoria’s Secret show and leave with ten of the models.”

Steve vaguely remembered Sam mentioning a show on TV that had statuesque women walking down a runway in their underwear with very loud music Steve didn’t like. He understood the appeal but he made a face at Darcy, which only made her chuckle.

“What, you’re not into supermodels?”

“They’re attractive, but…no, not really,” he replied. He crossed his arms.

There was a ding above their heads signalling their arrival.

“You want to order pizza?” Steve asked, and Darcy nodded.

-

Darcy kept fiddling with a thread on the hem of her white dress as they waited on the couch together for their delivery guy to show up. Most likely Steve would volunteer to go downstairs and get their food when it showed up in the foyer.

She swallowed, feeling like she needed to set the record straight.

“I don’t think it’s bullshit, just so you know,” she said, breaking their silence.

“What do you mean?” Steve asked, adjusting in his space beside her on the couch, turning to look at her face side-on.

It made Darcy feel self-conscious for the first time ever.

“Your issues,” she said, pulling the thread a little. “They’re valid, they’re not bullshit. You woke up in a new century and you’ve had to adapt quickly to a bunch of shit that is tough for anyone in _my_ generation to even contemplate.”

He deflected, which she expected. “What happened with Robbie?”

Darcy turned her head and felt herself blush. “Nothing, he just didn’t want to be exclusive.”

“Moron,” Steve said instantly.

Darcy looked down. “Yeah, I guess so.”

She left out the part about the dick pics. She didn’t want it to be a human resources issue. She should block his number already instead of leaving him there in her phone just in case she got so sad that she came crawling back to his bed.

“Please don’t stop chasing things,” Steve said suddenly, and Darcy could see he was serious. “It’d be a waste to not keep looking for someone.”

“You sound like my mom,” Darcy muttered.

Steve sighed. “No, I meant whoever you find would have totally lucked out.”

Darcy was made uncomfortable by his earnestness.

“I don’t even like the guys I date, really,” she said. “I don’t end up dating my crushes. Dates are disappointing but they’re… I dunno. Predictably bad. So I doubt any one would ever feel lucky.”

“I feel lucky,” Steve said, and Darcy’s eyes widened slightly at his admission.

“We’re friends,” she said.

She said the same thing to Jane and her mom often enough whenever Steve came up in conversation. That happened a lot. She became accustomed to turning down whatever idea people around her got about Steve. She was not in his league.

JARVIS suddenly announced their pizza and Darcy got up, ignoring Steve’s protests. She thought if she got away from him for a minute or so she’d calm down, gear herself up for friendly banter instead of wistful longing.

She rode the elevator downstairs still wearing Steve’s jacket as well as her little coat underneath. The leather was heavy and grounded her. She didn’t want to have another panic attack. She could blame her emotional state on that roller coaster alone, but she knew better.

She’d had feelings for Steve for a while and this friend date was only half of what she really wanted.

-

Steve sat alone on the couch and considered his options. He could eat with Darcy and then call it a night, maybe send her a dumb present tomorrow to make up for how shitty the night had turned out. Make a lot of jokes about it maybe and try to move on.

He couldn’t stand how unhappy she was, and maybe he was just too selfish. He wanted her, badly. He’d just managed to conveniently push aside his loneliness with her friendship, completely missing the point that he wanted to be more than friends with her.

And Robbie not wanting her completely bothered Steve a lot. The guy was more of an idiot than he ever considered.

He felt his stomach flipping as he heard the elevator ding once more, and Darcy came into view once more, the pizza box in her hands as she walked into the common area.

Yeah, Steve was selfish.

He stood up, taking the box from her and putting it aside. Darcy looked confused.

“Uh, Steve –?”

His hands went to the sides of her face and he tilted her head, bringing his lips down to brush hers. She gasped, but arched into his touch, returning his neediness instantly. Their kisses turned more demanding, Steve’s tongue pushing past her lips to massage hers.

Darcy sighed, and the sound was like a direct line to his cock. He felt the desire stir in his gut, his dick harder with each stroke of their tongues. He thought of her bra in her white dress and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing their hips together.

Darcy broke away from him. “Did the pizza turn you on too much?”

“ _You_ turn me on,” Steve threw back, assessing her face. “Is this okay?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Darcy muttered. She glanced at his mouth that Steve knew was wet and pink. “I just didn’t think you saw me that way.”

“I was stupid,” he murmured, kissing her lips lightly. “I should have asked you out the day we met.”

“But I looked like shit that day. I wore my only clean shirt, my Tweetie Bird one,” she replied.

“You’re gorgeous,” he said, kissing her again.

Her hands were under his t-shirt and feeling his stomach. She felt so soft and warm in his arms. He was a complete idiot. They could have been doing this for months.

They pulled back again, and Darcy panted.

“I don’t mind if dinner gets cold, do you?” she whispered. She bit her plump lower lip and Steve stared at her.

“No, come on.”

-

Darcy’s heart was racing. She let them into her apartment, laying the pizza box on the marble counter in her kitchen area before she turned to Steve.

He was the most attractive person she’d ever laid eyes on and he was looking at her with dark eyes glazed with desire. She knew she was wet before when they kissed but the anticipation as they made their way to somewhere private only made her more spurred on.

Steve gathered her in his arms and lifted her. Darcy wrapped her legs around his waist and they kissed, slowly making their way to her bedroom.

The jackets fell to the floor on the way with soft thuds and Steve’s hands fell to Darcy’s ass, gripping her and making her gasp against his mouth.

Her bed was not made but that was the last thing on Darcy’s mind. They landed together on the mattress with the covers drawn back, and Steve’s hand went for the lamp on her bedside table. The room was flooded with warm yellow light.

“I wanna see you,” he whispered, and Darcy felt her stomach flip.

Steve moved back on his knees to tug off his t-shirt. The sight of him shirtless took Darcy’s breath away. He was intimidatingly good-looking, now. Darcy thought of her cellulite hidden beneath her dress.

He kissed her again, pressing his warm chest against hers as they lay down once more. They kissed for a while, exploring each other with hands and lips. Darcy felt hot all over and struggled a little to shimmy her dress up.

Steve helped her pull it off, eyes falling to her chest. Darcy was used to the attention her tits got her but Steve was more intense than she was used to. There was a fondness to his touch as he kissed her throat and trailed his hands down to touch her over the fabric of her bra.

His kisses were tender. It made Darcy’s heart ache as he was lost in her body, hands gliding and squeezing. Darcy’s hips rolled. She managed to undo the laces of her boots while Steve sucked at her neck, making her eyes flutter shut.

She kicked at her boots and they fell to the floor. They settled again, Darcy’s hands going to the fly of Steve’s pants. He drew back from her throat, his eyes wider than before.

“You want to do this?” she asked.

His lips looked ruined, just like Darcy’s had to be. He nodded, swallowing. The bob of his throat was adorable.

Darcy kept her eyes glued to his as she stripped off her bra and underwear, trying desperately to keep her cool. Steve’s eyes traveled up and down.

He looked away as if to compose himself. “Fuck,” he whispered, letting out a long breath.

He looked back at her, his cheeks pinker. His hands fell to his pants, fingers shaking a little as he managed to pull down everything including his boxer briefs.

Darcy stared between his legs, seeing the pubic hair and his heavy cock bob as he was stripped of everything.

He lay on top of her again, and their mouths slanted together as Darcy felt his cock rub against her stomach. Darcy reached between them and stroked his cock, twisting on the down stroke and making him moan against her lips. The sound was intoxicating.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

He finally sank into her, Darcy’s back arching once more as he bottomed out. His hips moved in shallow circles, their mouths never closing as they kissed again.

“Oh, fuck,” Darcy moaned, as he began to move a little faster.

“We could’ve been doing this forever,” he gasped, and they began to rut together with mounting desperation.

“How fucking stupid are we?” Darcy replied, and he laughed breathlessly.

She moaned again as his thumb pressed against her clit.

“Steve, I'm close,” she gasped.

“Me, too,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

She kissed him hard for that, feeling her toes begin to tingle. “It’s great for a girl’s ego.”

Steve’s chuckle turned into another moan and the only other sound was the sound of their skin slapping together.

When Darcy came she shuddered, twisting beneath him as her eyes squeezed shut, and Steve only managed a few more thrusts before releasing deep inside her.

-

The next morning Sam looked smug and Steve crossed his arms at him.

“I assume the escape room was a prank,” Steve said, and Sam’s smile deepened.

He clapped Steve on the shoulder. “You’d be right to assume,” he replied. “ But Natasha helped.”

Steve should have known.

 


End file.
